(p) . The 11th nidana and the birth, nature, class, of cittas. The last two nidanas summarize the whole of painful, self-centered existence. Eleven is Jati or birth, illustrated by a woman giving birth to a baby, and the 12th is Jara-marana or old age and death. Our emotions and activities in the present create new situations which mature, reproduce and die. This death elicits overwhelming uncertainty and panic at the prospect of having lost a solid sense of existence. This process could refer to the culmination and death of a particular emotional state , such as lust, greed, or anger; a particular relationship or supportive living situation; the momentary death of a single thought process; and so on. Whatever the scale of experience being addressed, some level of panic and fear characterizes the habitual experience of death.
Caste. The caste system determines social status based on birth and lineage, and is generally not alterable. Its importance has declined somewhat in urban areas, but is still important in marriage.